Brachytherapy is a method of treating cancer by placing radioactive sources either into or next to an area of tissue requiring treatment. Delivering radiation directly to the target treatment area may allow a clinician to administer higher doses of radiation while decreasing the impact on surrounding, healthy tissue.
During treatment, a brachytherapy applicator may be positioned adjacent the target treatment area. The applicator may be used to align catheters and/or needles with the treatment area and position them for the delivery of radioactive sources to the target tissue. Catheters incorporated in the applicator may be connected to a source of treatment, for example, an afterloader, and forms of treatment, such as radioactive sources, may be delivered from the source, through the catheters or needles, and to the treatment area.
To increase the effectiveness of brachytherapy, clinicians may aim to administer an optimal dosage of radioactive sources to the target tissue. Movement or misalignment of the applicator may affect the amount of radiation delivered to the target tissue. Misalignment could cause delivery of treatment to the wrong area or dissipation of treatment before contacting the target area. If the applicator does not fit the contours of the patient's anatomy, the applicator may be more likely to shift. Even if it stays in place, the applicator may not be able to contact optimal portions of the target tissue. While applicators may be available in different sizes, variations in patient anatomy, tumor location, tumor growth, and disease state may hinder the ability of even an appropriately sized applicator from delivering an optimal dosage of treatment. Further, a limited selection of applicator types and configurations may confine the number treatment regimens available to a clinician. Thus, there exists a need for an easy-to-form applicator capable of conforming to the unique size, shape, and dosage requirements of each individual patient to optimize catheter positioning, and thus treatment delivery, for optimizing patient treatment plans.